Jadon Sancho has been banished by Manchester United over his outburst at manager Erik ten Hag.
United released a statement on Thursday announcing Sancho will continue to train away from the first-team squad pending the outcome of the club’s disciplinary investigation into his public criticism of Ten Hag.
Sancho becomes the second United forward in the space of five days who is now unavailable to Ten Hag after it was announced in a statement on Sunday that Antony will stay away from the club while he fights allegations against him made by three women.
In a statement, United said: “Jadon Sancho will remain on a personal training programme away from the first-team group pending resolution of a squad discipline issue.”
Sancho returned to Carrington on Monday and held talks with Ten Hag in person for the first time since effectively accusing his manager of lying over the reasons for his absence in the 3-1 defeat at Arsenal 11 days ago.
Sancho said it was “completely untrue” that he had been omitted from the squad because of his performances in training as Ten Hag had claimed and accused the Dutchman of making him a “scapegoat” in a furious post on social media in the wake of the manager’s post-match remarks.
The outburst both stunned and infuriated Ten Hag and has left Sancho facing an uncertain future at Old Trafford.
Ten Hag is understood to feel badly let down by Sancho given the lengths to which he feels he went last season to try to help the player to kickstart his flagging career.
John Murtough, the United football director, and the club’s chief executive Richard Arnold have been at the centre of efforts to resolve the dispute.
The pair are not trying to influence Ten Hag’s stance on the matter but are thought to recognise it cannot continue to drag on.
Sancho finally removed his controversial social media post on X, the microblogging site formerly known as Twitter, on Tuesday but there is still no resolution in his row with the manager.
Saudi Pro League side Al-Ettifaq were interested in signing Sancho before the close of the Saudi transfer window last Thursday but United ruled out a loan.
Like Antony, Sancho was included in the 25-man Premier League squad that United submitted on Wednesday but it remains to be seen what the disciplinary investigation yields. United are due to face Brighton at Old Trafford on Saturday with Ten Hag expected to be without both players. Mason Mount, Raphael Varane, Luke Shaw and Tyrell Malacia are also injured while there are doubts over the fitness of Lisandro Martinez.
There is hope Sofyan Amrabat will be involved and able to make his debut after sitting out Morocco’s international games as a precaution.
Antony, 23, has not been suspended by United and remains on full pay but he will not train or be considered for selection until further notice after agreeing with the club that it is in the best interest of both parties that his presence does not become a “distraction” and he does not create “unnecessary controversy”.
